Animated picture viewing apparatus



Sept. 14, 1948. J. F. lwxcxz ANIMATED PICTURE VIEWING APPARATUS 2 sheets-sheet 1 Filed June 18, 1947 Sept. 14, 1948. J. F. lwlcK ANIMATED PICTURE VIEWING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 18, 1947 Patented Sept. 14, 1948 UNITED sTATEs PATENT ori-'ICE ANIMATE!) PIc'rUt'vvmG APPARATUS John F. Iwick, chicago, Ill.-

Application June 18, 1947, Serial No. 755,369

My invention relates to motion picture or animated nlm viewing devices.

An object of my invention is to provide an automatic motion picture nlm viewer by means of which lengths of motion picture 111m may be viewed by holding the adjustable lens of the said viewer to the eye and looking in the direction of a source of light, and by pressing the control button.

A further object of my invention is to provide a ilim viewer having a motor operated cam which, by a continuous forward, upward, backward and downward rotary motion, will cause its claw to move a length of motion picture nlm through a guide rack by means of the slots in the'side of the said motion picture film.

A further object of my invention is to provide a nlm viewer, having a iilxn guide rack which may be quickly adapted to either 8 mm. or 16 mm. film by adjusting the cam means and by proper adjustment of the viewing aperture.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a film viewer by means o! which short lengths of endless illm -may be viewed continuously or, by means of slots formed in the case of the nlm viewer, entire reels of illm may be viewed by passing the free end of the illm through the said slots in the case.

A still further object of my invention is to provide, in a illm viewer, a control device which, together with a governor, will cause the nlm to pass the eye piece in a continuous and regulated sequence of views which will simulate motion pictures.

A still further object of my invention -is to 4 Claims. (Cl- 88-17) i my invention with parts cut away to show the provide a prime mover which, when operated by eye piece, the viewing aperture and the iight window.

Other objects and advantages inherent in my invention will become readily apparent from an ensuing description and the accompanying drawings, in which like parts are designated by like numerals, and in which:

Fig. 1 represents a perspective view of my invention with parts cut away and with the cover control and cam action mechanism.

Fig. 3 represents a cross-sectional view taken substantially on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 represents a cross-sectional view taken substantially on line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 represents a side view of my invention with parts cut away to show a modification of the guide rack to accommodate either the 8 mm. or 16 mm. film.

Fig. 6 represents a. cross-sectional view taken substantially on line B-B of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 represents a fragmentary view looking in the direction of arrows 'I-l of Fig. 2.

Figs. 7a, 7b, and 'lc represent the cycle oi operation of the claw mechanism at intervals.

My invention is generally designated 8. A streamlined casing 9 holds the prime mover III, which is encased in a housing II. A cover I2 is hinged at I3 and opened out to expose the interior 0,8 of the illm viewer in which is contained the illm rack and moving parts, and providing accessibility for interchanging of illm. A drawn out opening I4 in the upper side holds, by frictional adjustment, an eye piece I5 in which is inserted a lens I6. Opposite the eye piece I5, in the other side of the case and on a horizontal level, is a window Il for admitting the necessary illumination required to view the transparent illm. A channel bracket I8 is attached by means of channel I9 to the sides of the housing II, being attached vertically and in such a position that an aperture 20 is aligned with the eye piece I5 and the window Il intermediately therebetween and in proper focal relationship.

On the inner side and lower half of the bracket I8 is formed a narrow slot 2| in which the tips 4l of the claw 4I moves. 'I'he sides 22 of the channel bracket I8 acts as a guilde to the illm 23. The film 23 being held in the bed of the bracket I8 by a retainer plate 24, the bottom end 26 of which is bent toward the inner side of the case 9 and hinged thereto at 21. A coiled wire spring 28 keeps the plate 24 in contact with the ilm 23. The top end of4 the plate 24 and the bracket I8 are formed out at 25 to form a throat to permit a free movement of the illm 23.

In the interior 68 of the case 9, a detlector guide rail 29 is attached by means of the fastening 30. The end 3| of the deilector guide rail 29 is warped. inwardiy toward the housing u and ascuas acts to guide the iilm 23 so that it will not interfere with light entering through the window I1. A number of pegs 33 are attached to the tace of the housing in the lower part ci( the case l and acts as guides to the iilm 22 to prevent it from becoming tangled as it rotates. The pegs ,33 are so located on the housing to accommodate different lengths of endless nlm, as shown by the dotted line 34.

Two slots 38 are formed in the case I; one at the top, and one at the bottom, as-shown in Fig. 1, in order that 'any length of nlm may be viewed by the viewer 8 merely by inserting the end of the illm 38 through the slot 3l and intermediately therebetween through the guide bracket I8, the illm guide lateral deiiector 28 may be removed for this purpose. A spindle 21 is attached to the prime mover Il and extends through the housing case into the space Il of the case 8. Riding on the spindle 21 is a washer 38 and a cam 48 is screwed onto the threaded part I9 of the said spindle 31.

A square cutout 42 in the claw 4| rides upon the cam 40 and is held in place by a second washer 44, upon which a balancing lug 45 is held by lock nut 48. In an extended portion of the claw 40 is formed a slot 43 which pivots movably upon a fulcrum 49. The fulcrum 48 is set into a slot I0 in the face of the casing and held adjustably therein by a. shoulder nut 8|; the other end oi' the claw 4| is formed into claw points 41 of a size to permit their entry in the slots 48 on the edge of the film 23. The spindle 31, together with the cam 40, rotates in a clockwise direction, as shown by arrows 88 and, in rotating, the cam 40, riding in the square cutout 42 of the claw 4| and pivoted on the fulcrum 48, will impart to the claw 4| and to its claw tips 41, four distinct motions, illustrated in Figs. 7, 7a, 7b, and 7c.

Fig. 7 shows the tip 41 within the illm slot 48 and at the top of the stroke.

Fig. 7a illustrates the removal or backward action of the said tip 41, and

Fig. '7b shows the rear downward stroke of the claws 4| with the tip ready to enter again into the slot 48.

Fig. 7c shows the tip again within the slot 4I of the lm 23 and beginning the upward movement of the said illm 23, to complete the cycle of operation.

The movement just described is caused by the rotating of the cam 40 within the square cutout 42 of the claw 4|, and the up and down length of the stroke of the tips 41 o1' the said claw is determined by the setting of the fulcrum 48 in its slot 50 upon which the claw 4| slidably articulates. Markings 65 of 8 mm. and 16 mm. on the surface of the casing and adjacent to predetermined points in the slot 8|! indicates the proper setting for the fulcrum 49 for 8 mm. and 16 mm.

motion picture illrn. A slight modification or' the lm rack, as shown in Fig. 5, shows how the said lm rack may be adapted to guide either an 8 mm. motion picture lm, or a 16 mm. motion picture film.

An offset 60, in the guide bracket Il, provides a groove or bed 10 wide enough to accommodate 8 mm. motion picture nlm. A pair of rollers 82, revolving on pins' 32, set one at the top and one at the bottom of the bracket |8, may -be provided. The rollers 62 would serve to prevent the 8 mm. film from binding or slipping out of its groove 10 while in motion. A square flap 83 is pivoted to the bracket |8 at 84 and, when in an up position, as shown in full lines in Fig. 5l serves to same position on the edgeof the nlm, the only other adjustment required to permit the claw tip 41tomovethe8mm.iiim 81,orthe 18mm.nlm 2l, the desired running exposure per revolution is an adjustment of the fulcrum 4I in its slot I8,

. as previously described.

The prime mover Il in the case illustrated, as shown in Fig. 2, consists of a clockwork mechanism which may be wound or charged by a key I2, which may be removed when not in use.

An action control means is provided and consists of a lever I8, having a knurled end I4 bent to protrude from the sides of the case I. The lever I8 is bent at right angles to form a bellcrank and pivoted at Il to the inside oi' thehousing and its other end I1 bears with a braking action against the shaft Il. The lever Il is held in its braking action against shaft I8 by a spring 88 at its pivot point Il. Since the shaft 5I is geared to the prime mover il, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2, therefore pressure upon the button I4 will release and allow the prima mover to cause the cam mechanism to rotate and to-move the illm. Release of pressure on button 84 causes the brake l1 to stop the action of the prime mover by irictional engagement.

A governor Il. with a spring regulator Il. provides a regulating adjustment to the speed oi the prime mover III; hence, to the speed of the movement of the illm through the viewer.

To use the iilm viewer, the cover |2 of the case 8 is opened and a length of film 23 is placed between the bed oi' the guide bracket il and the. retaining plate 24 by swinging the guide plate 24 backward, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 1, su!- ncently to allow the 111m to be placed within the bed of the rack I I; the upper hali of the illm being placed in the lm guide lateral deilector 28, and the lower half being draped about the guide pegs Il. After closing the cover I2, the eye piece i8 is held to one of the eyes 12 of the observer, the eye piece I8 may be adjusted to get the correct focus, as shown by dotted lines in; Fig. 1.

Also shown in Fig. 1, by the dotted light Il, is, the path of the light as lt penetrates through the window l1, through the openings 20 and 1| and through the iilm 23 to the eye 12 by means of the eye piece Il. Pressure upon the button -84 will, by means of the prime mover I0 and the cam mechanism, cause the iilm to move past the eye piece I8 in a movement that will simulate motion pictures.

It is apparent that I haveinvented a' novel. animated picture viewing device, of compact economical construction. It will, oi course, be understood that various changes may be resorted to in the form, details, arrangement andproportions of the various parts without departing from the scope o! the present invention which,` generally stated, consists in the matter illustrated.

Having thus described and disclosed-my invention, -what I claim as novel and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An animated picture viewing device comprising, a case, a prime mover mounted in the said case and provided with a driving shaft extending therefrom, cam means secured to the said driving shaft, claw feed means mounted in the said case and connected to the said cam means. an eye piece mounted on one side of the said case, illuminating window means provided on the opposite side of the said case in axial alignment with the said eye piece, nim guide means articulately secured to the said case and intermediately disposed to the said eye piece and the said window means, vand idler roller means mounted at the base of and within the confines of the said case constructed and arranged to accommodate endless lengths of film of greater magnitude than the perimetral magnitude of the said case.y

2. An animated picture viewing device comprising, a case, a prime mover mounted in the said case and provided with a driving shaft extending therefrom, cam means secured to the said driving shaft, claw feed means mounted in the said case vand connected to the said cam means, an eye piece mounted on one side of the said case, illuminating window means provided on the opposite side of the said case in axial alignment with the said eye piece, illm guide means articulately secured to the said case and intermediately disposed to the said eye piece and the said window means, film defiector means mounted above the said film guide means adapted to divert the rrear portion of a film operating therein in offset relationship to an imaginary geometric plane determined by the axis passing I through the said eye piece and window means and the longitudinal axis of the said nim guide means, and idler roller means mounted at the base and within the confines of the said case constructed and arranged to accommodate endless lengths of film of greater magnitude than the perimetral magnitude of the said case.

3. An animated 'picture viewing device com prising, a case, a prime mover mounted in the said case .and provided with a driving shaft extending therefrom, cam means secured to the saidarticulately secured-tothe said case and interg5 mediatsly V ydisposed tothe saideya piacaandtne saidwindowmeans, thesaidiilmguids means being provided with an offset channel portion of lesser width than the width of the said nlm guide means, a pair of film guide rollers mounted on the said oil-set channel, the said iilm guide means being provided with viewing aperture means, and articulate shutter means constructed and arranged to optionally be superimposed to cover a fractional portion of the area of the said aperture means.

4. An animated picture viewing device comprising, a case, a prime mover mounted in the said case and provided with a driving shaft extending therefrom, cam means secured to the said driving shaft, claw feed means mounted in the said case and connected to the said cam means. an eye piece mounted on one side of the said case, illuminating window means provided on the opposite side of the said case in axial alignment with the said eye piece, film guide means articulately secured to the said case and intermediately disposed to the said eye piece and the said window means, and film deflector means mounted above the said nim guide means adapted to divert the rear portion of a nlm operating therein in offset relationship to an imaginary geometric plane determined by the axis passing through the said eye piece and window means and the longitudinal axis of the said nlm guide means, the said illm guide means being provided with an offset channel portion of lesser width than the width of the said film guide means, a pair of film guide rollers mounted on the said offset channel, the said nlm guide means being provided with viewing aperture means, and articulate shutter means constructed and arranged to optionally be superimposed to Ycover a fractional portion of the area of the said aperture means.

JOHN F. rwrcrc.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ille of this patent:

UNITED sra'ms PATENTS' Number Name Date 1,350,374 Michalek- Aug. 20, 1920 1,991,894 Klein Feb. 19, 1935 1,997,642 Klein Apr. 16, vi935 2,122,804 Tichenor July 5, 1938 2,311,204 Bouma lieb. i8, 1943 '2,408,384 Farrell Oct. 1, 1948 2,432,200 Lasky et al. Dec. 9, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 304,803 Great Britain Nov. 7, 1929 

